Licensed psychologist and behavioral sleep doctor Shelby Harris, PsyD, DBSM, previously broke it down on the mindbodygreen podcast, and we grabbed the details for you below. So where is the hydration sweet spot? Ultimately, the exact hour differs for everyone (mbg’s founder and co-CEO Jason Wachob front-loads his water intake and sets a limit at 7 p.m. to avoid late-night trips to the bathroom), but Harris suggests monitoring your fluids during the day and assessing from there. “Some people are not drinking enough during the day, so come nighttime, they’re super thirsty,” she says. They chug a glass or two of water, and then they may face frequent urination at night. “I encourage people to really try and hydrate throughout the day so that you’re not backlogging it at night,” she adds. If you’re looking for a specific number: Urologist Vannita Simma-Chiang, M.D., recommends taking your last sip of the day three to four hours before bed. In our humble opinion, taking advantage of powerful sleep-promoting ingredients (like our blend of magnesium bisglycinate, jujube, and PharmaGABA® in sleep support+) outweighs the potential effects from the extra fluid.* And anyway, you only need a couple of sips to swallow a couple of capsules—way less than 8 ounces. Again, just remember to prioritize adequate hydration throughout the day: “I encourage everyone in the morning, if you’ve had a rough night of sleep, start your day with a big glass of water,” says Harris. “I always have water with a lemon slice in it.”
